Five years is a milestone for any comedy festival. As some of the funniest women in comedy once again gather in Portland to celebrate the fifth installment of the All Jane Comedy Festival, there will be no shortage of recognition for the comedic ground broken by one of the most distinctive festivals in the United States.

Founded to highlight the disparity between men and women in the comedy industry - women comprise between 17 and 19 percent of those working in comedy, according to the festival's website - All Jane has hosted a number of comics who have gone on to become big-time stars.

Festival alums include Cameron Esposito, creator of the online series "Take My Wife"; Aparna Nancherla, who's appeared on "Live Wire!"; Phoebe Robinson, who's appeared on numerous late-night shows; and Lauren Lapkus, who's appeared on "Orange is the New Black." A previous festival screened Bonnie McFarlane's documentary "Women Aren't Funny," an investigation into the life of a female comic, followed by a panel discussion featuring Lindy West, author of this year's best-selling memoir "Shrill."

For the five-year anniversary, All Jane landed its biggest headliner: Maria Bamford, a film and television actor who's currently starring in the Netflix series "Lady Dynamite," based loosely on her life.

"We've tried to get Maria Bamford every single year, but her career trajectory has been growing just ahead of ours, so she's always been out of our range," festival curator Stacey Hallal said. "But since it's our fifth anniversary I decided to make the leap."

Hallal serves as creative director for Curious Comedy Theater in Northeast Portland, where the bulk of this year's festival will take place. With the help of a grant from the Mt. Hood Cable Regulatory Commission, Curious Comedy Theater has become one of the most technologically advanced independent theaters in the country, set up for video recording and live streaming.

New technology is not the only change festival-goers will see this year. Hallal is hoping an updated ticketing format will enable people to see every act she's brought in to perform.

"We're offering a VIP pass this year. People can have access to all of the shows, they'll have exclusive seating, they'll get to cut lines, get special bar privileges, plus access to the after parties," Hallal said. "I would love the festival to evolve into a pass-based festival. We're encouraging people to get their VIP passes, and we're going to make sure we treat them incredibly well and that they have an exceptional experience."

As the festival evolves, All Jane hasn't lost sight of its original directive.

"It's a great opportunity for comics and for audiences to see really diverse lineups of women and women-identified comedians," Portland-based stand-up comedian Katie Nguyen said. "If there's ever been any kind of idea like 'what does it mean to be a festival for women, does it mean they're all the same,' this kind of proves the opposite. It's about showing how much variety and diversity of experiences and voices there are among women and women-identified comics."

Nguyen, a finalist for Portland's Funniest Person in 2016, is not the only Portlander in the lineup. All Jane always includes a healthy selection of locals; JoAnn Schinderle, Andie Main, Ali Reingold and Barbara Holm are among the homegrown comics being featured this year.

"It's a goal. It's a milepost to be able to get in," first-time performer Becky Braunstein said. Having relocated from Alaska to Portland to pursue comedy, Braunstein recognizes the kind of boost All Jane provides.

"It is important to be able to give female comedians that great credit in this powerhouse festival that lets you be front and center and brings to light the importance of giving female comedians a place to take a step in our careers," Braunstein said. "It's definitely a festival that every female-identifying comedian in Portland wants to get into."

Outside Portland, All Jane's reputation continues to grow, too. As more emphasis is placed on equal representation, comics from all over the country look to All Jane to set a new standard.

"In general people are starting to notice and be vocal about the lack of female representation in festivals," said Austin-based comic Maggie Maye, an All Jane regular. "You go on social media and see people speak about these kind of things because we're noticing them more. There is a movement to rectify the big difference in representation. There aren't as many females in comedy as males. Efforts like All Jane are actively trying to combat that."